"Robocop" Ray Mallon wrestles suspected thief to the ground in the street

MAYOR of Middlesbrough Ray Mallon last night told how he wrestled to the ground a suspected thief running from a jewellers’ shop.

The 58-year-old, who earned the nickname Robocop with his no-nonsense style of policing during his time with Cleveland Police, was unhurt apart from suffering some minor back pain after his struggle with the 23-year-old.

The drama happened in Edinburgh on Saturday at about 4pm. Police Scotland spokesman said two Cartier watches worth £17,000 in total were recovered.

“It took me back to the old days,” said Mr Mallon, who explained he was looking at watches at Laing’s, Scotland’s oldest family jewellers, when the incident took place.

He said: “I was visiting Edinburgh for the day and enjoying a bit of window shopping. I was looking at some watches in the window of a jeweller’s shop when I noticed a commotion inside.

“Suddenly a man came sprinting out the door with two assistants chasing after him.

“What happened next was instinctive, it took me back to the old days. I stepped across the man and we grabbed hold of each other and wrestled for a few seconds. I managed to get him in a headlock and we ended up on the ground.

“The two female assistants showed great courage and deserve a lot of praise. The man was shouting and trying to get away but they did a great job helping me to restrain him until police arrived and took him into custody.”

It is the second time in recent years the elected mayor has been involved in a street disturbance.

Mr Mallon apprehended a man who threw an egg at former Middlesbrough MP, Sir Stuart Bell, on Remembrance Sunday in 2011.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "A 23-year-old man was arrested on Frederick Street, Edinburgh on Saturday afternoon by officers who were responding to an alarm call from a city centre jeweller after two watches worth more than £17,000 were taken from the store.

"On arrival the officers found the man had been detained by a member of the public who saw him running out of the store and tackled him to the ground.

"The man will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday."

A spokeswoman for Laing’s confirmed the incident had taken place.

Comments (7)

Well Done Ray, Highly commendable, we could well do with a few more thousands of ***common sense lawabidding citizens like you with 'moral fibre and backbone', sadly lacking in many members of the public today.. A fine and great example of 'Pro-active historical intelligent citizenship ** Policing' which we had years ago before the scurge of 'negative insulting brainwashing 'left wing orientated political correctness' was forced on us all and shoved down our throats. You are a great example both to the young Ray and all lawabidding citizens. There is good chance you will also get a reward, *** which you fully deserve. The ' lawabidding people' of Edinburgh ad Scotland are proud of you.

Well Done Ray, Highly commendable, we could well do with a few more thousands of ***common sense lawabidding citizens like you with 'moral fibre and backbone', sadly lacking in many members of the public today.. A fine and great example of 'Pro-active historical intelligent citizenship ** Policing' which we had years ago before the scurge of 'negative insulting brainwashing 'left wing orientated political correctness' was forced on us all and shoved down our throats. You are a great example both to the young Ray and all lawabidding citizens. There is good chance you will also get a reward, *** which you fully deserve. The ' lawabidding people' of Edinburgh ad Scotland are proud of you.cushybutterfield

Well done ray mallon shame you can't save our 3 kids on Granville rd from getting knocked over and more serious accidents comming our way you sad arrugent man.what did u do promise the lad with a fix if he laid down?

Well done ray mallon shame you can't save our 3 kids on Granville rd from getting knocked over and more serious accidents comming our way you sad arrugent man.what did u do promise the lad with a fix if he laid down?Amjed hussain

amjed you seem a bitter man is ray mallon not pc enough for you.
well done mallon a former cop who actually wanted to catch real criminals unlike todays politically correct cowards who turn a blind eye to minority criminals and prosecute the majority for tivial offences.

amjed you seem a bitter man is ray mallon not pc enough for you.
well done mallon a former cop who actually wanted to catch real criminals unlike todays politically correct cowards who turn a blind eye to minority criminals and prosecute the majority for tivial offences.punkrocker

punkrocker wrote:
amjed you seem a bitter man is ray mallon not pc enough for you. well done mallon a former cop who actually wanted to catch real criminals unlike todays politically correct cowards who turn a blind eye to minority criminals and prosecute the majority for tivial offences.

Good point, however i feel the PC`s who turn a blind eye fear the 3 weeks of paperwork for aprehending a child stealing a penny sweet! also the fear of getting charged themselves when the villain ( sorry, victim! ) decides they used unreasonable force, ending up in court themselves. The recent national story of the man who defended his own property shows how hard it can be, although this story also had a silver lining when the court threw the villains claims out of court, lets see more of this.

You reap what you sow...

[quote][p][bold]punkrocker[/bold] wrote:
amjed you seem a bitter man is ray mallon not pc enough for you. well done mallon a former cop who actually wanted to catch real criminals unlike todays politically correct cowards who turn a blind eye to minority criminals and prosecute the majority for tivial offences.[/p][/quote]Good point, however i feel the PC`s who turn a blind eye fear the 3 weeks of paperwork for aprehending a child stealing a penny sweet! also the fear of getting charged themselves when the villain ( sorry, victim! ) decides they used unreasonable force, ending up in court themselves. The recent national story of the man who defended his own property shows how hard it can be, although this story also had a silver lining when the court threw the villains claims out of court, lets see more of this.
You reap what you sow...studio

Good old Ray. Mind you he "apprehended" the egg thrower by saying "come on Terry" several times and herding the half witted, foul product abusing oxygen thief toward a waiting Police van. If only all arrests were as easy.

Good old Ray. Mind you he "apprehended" the egg thrower by saying "come on Terry" several times and herding the half witted, foul product abusing oxygen thief toward a waiting Police van. If only all arrests were as easy.theartistformallyknownasoutragedofmiltonkeynes